Tensions have erupted in Onicha Olona, Aniocha North Local Government Area of Delta State, following a violent incident that left one person dead and one other hospitalised after thugs led by an alleged land grabber and police officers allegedly invaded the community on Monday.
Residents of the community who spoke on condition of anonymity for security reasons recounted their ugly ordeal, particularly people of Ishekpe Quarters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They accused the police of collaborating with the alleged land grabber identified as Chief Jerry Chukwuma Nkeweshe, popularly known as \u201cBabies,\u201d and covering up his series of violent acts, including abduction, assault, and murder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to multiple eyewitnesses who narrated the incident, the attack is linked to an ongoing land dispute involving Nkeweshe [Babies], who is accused of forcefully attempting to sell communal land against the will of the residents.
The turmoil resurfaced on Monday morning when one of the residents of the community, identified as Okwusindi Paulo, was attacked and abducted in Asaba while driving his 83-year-old uncle, Pastor Ignatius Ofulue Gwadia, to the hospital for his routine medical check-up.
While on their way, Paul reportedly noticed a suspicious vehicle trailing them and alerted Gwadia, who was already uneasy about Paul’s driving due to his health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At Interbau Roundabout, their vehicle was intercepted by the suspected assailants, and Paul was dragged out and beaten.
A source said, \u201cAccording to Mr. Gwadia, what he saw were thugs that came down and started banging on the vehicle.
\u201cThat was when it dawned on him that Paul was actually right when he said what he noticed about some strange movements before.\u201d
\u201cThey started using an axe to hit the glass where Paul was seated and the glass was shattered and they dragged Paul out of the car and started beating him,\u201d the source quoted Gwadia as saying.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Gwadia was injured by shattered glass and was taken to the hospital by passersby.
Paul was taken away by the attackers but residents said they visited four police stations before locating him in police custody at the RRS facility in Asaba.
That same day, around 5 p.m., the village was attacked by \u201csome thugs led by Jerry Chukwuma Nkeweshe, alias Babies, a known land-grabber, stormed the village in about five Sienna vehicles and two police vans, shooting sporadically,\u201d a resident said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cEverybody started running and in the course of the shooting, the bullet hit one of the thugs, Kingsley Ogugua Osodi and he fell into the gutter and died.\u201d
Another, Kanayo Okafor, was critically wounded.
\u201cThe bullet hit him in his stomach and his intestines were out,\u201d a resident said, adding he was eventually referred to a hospital in Asaba where he is currently responding to treatment.
Villagers suspected Babies\u2019 involvement in Paul\u2019s abduction.
\u201cA lady named Oby, the old man\u2019s niece, said she saw her uncle\u2019s car at a mechanic\u2019s and heard Babies say he would repair the damages. That\u2019s when she realized he was involved,\u201d a source explained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A resident confirmed the violence stemmed from a land dispute, saying that Babies tried to sell community land but was resisted, and anyone opposing him became his enemy.
This isn\u2019t the first violent incident linked to the conflict as residents recalled the death of a town crier Mr. Meikowute Anwuzia, who Babies and his men allegedly beat after announcing a visit by Zone 5 police.
A resident said, \u201cBefore now, because of this land tussle, the community\u2019s town crier, Meikowute Anwuzia, was also killed.
\u201cThe man is still in the mortuary after almost eight months. The matter was reported to the police, but nothing has been concluded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe same Babies went to the town crier\u2019s house and beat him up for making an announcement.
\u201cBabies had gone to Zone 5 Police Headquarters with a petition. After we submitted a counter petition, Zone 5 said they were coming to verify.
\u201cOur people asked the town crier to inform everyone not to go to the farm but attend the meeting, as Zone 5 officers were coming to interview us.
\u201cAfter the announcement, Babies and his thugs stormed the crier\u2019s house, beat him to a stupor, and asked who authorized the message. Babies took his gong to Zone 5. We rushed the man to hospital, but he died three days later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSince then, the case was reported to the police, but they are trying to cover it up.\u201d
Residents alleged that multiple police reports and petitions have been ignored.
Asked if Zone 5 is aware that Babies attacked the town crier, a resident said, \u201cHe took the gong there himself. They can\u2019t deny knowing. He used it to claim the crier had no authority but denied touching him.\u201d
Asked about the Onicha Olona Police Division\u2019s awareness, the resident said, \u201cOf course. The former DPO knew but was transferred a month ago. He tried to do the right thing. We don\u2019t know what the current DPO is doing.\u201d
When asked if Babies had ever been arrested, he said, \u201cNo, never,\u201d despite petitions and eyewitness accounts.
A community stakeholder added, \u201cPolice inaction is fueling unrest. Once, after submitting a petition, we were the ones arrested. The police asked why we reported it, made us withdraw our petition and apologise.
\u201cI told them their actions will set this community ablaze because they refuse to stand by the truth. Peace depends on how they handle this.\u201d
Despite Onicha Olona\u2019s proximity to Asaba, residents said the Delta State Police Command has taken no meaningful action.
When asked if the State Command is aware, the community stakeholder replied, \u201cYes, we have sent several petitions. But each time we report Babies, the police cover it up.
\u201cWe have even been arrested and detained for two days, as they turned the case against us.\u201d
However, when the Delta State Police Command was contacted for comments, the Public Relations Officer, SP Bright Edafe, denied knowledge of the matter and said, \u201cI will find out.\u201d
Also, Zone 5 Headquarters was contacted for comments considering its alleged involvement, including currently being in possession of the late town crier\u2019s gong.
However, the IPO in charge of the matter, Inspector Arishew Johnson, who responded to the inquiries through Zone 5 Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Tijani Momoh, said, \u201cThe case reported to police at Zone 5 was a case of cyberbullying and the case has been charged to Federal High Court Asaba since January this year.\u201d
He said, \u201cThe very day we went there to charge them to court, the suspect people went to the town, burnt down seven buildings including one church.
\u201cChief Jerry was the complainant. The suspect\u2019s family burnt down three of Jerry\u2019s houses in his compound.
\u201cThe fact in this write-up is full of fabrication lies. What happened was quite different from what they stated.
\u201cThe case of arson is still pending. The case of arson is still under Investigation. Zone 5 is investigating while Force CID is also investigating. Force CID has arrested the ringleader of the arson on Monday.\u201d
However, when confronted with the response of Zone 5, Mr. Okwusindi Paulo, who is the person that was attacked, abducted and taken to the RRS facility in Asaba on Monday but now released, denied the allegations by Zone 5 Police.
He said, \u201cI was never arrested, instead I was abducted because he [referring to his attackers who were linked to Babies [Chief Jerry] bashed and double-crossed me into my car after several minutes of chasing me and my daddy while driving at top speed.
\u201cThe CCTV camera in Asaba has all that on CP’s table.\u201d
As tension simmers and outrage grows, the community calls on higher authorities, including the Inspector General of Police and the Delta State Government, to intervene and bring peace and justice to the Onicha Olona community.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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